Prior art methods of using magnesium fertilizers typically involve a single source of magnesium, either prilled, granulated or mined agglomerates (hereafter referred to as granular) of various sources of magnesium, dolomitic limestone, magnesium potassium sulphate, magnesium carbonate or magnesium oxide. These materials are most often applied by themselves in a broadcast application through fertilizer spreaders. Due to their granular format, excessive amounts of these products need to be applied to ensure even coverage throughout the field and availability to all plants. Specifically, granules break down slowly and inefficiently as only the outer surface of the granule is exposed to the soil.
In some cases, a few higher quality grade magnesium sources are mixed with other granular nutrient fertilizers and broadcast or banded through traditional seeding equipment or spreaders. While this increases their soil coverage efficiency to a degree, it is still limited by the fact that they have a relative small surface area and thus plant availability is limited. Another drawback to granular application is that there is limited movement of magnesium within the soil and thus there is often a substantial time lag for the roots of a plant to reach a zone in the soil where the magnesium product is present.
An added problem is that in some types of soils, the soil chemistry is such that the applied nutrient remains inert and unavailable.
Accordingly, one of the keys to effective and efficient uptake of magnesium is to have it close to the seed so that the plant may absorb it very early in its growth cycle.
This invention has as a primary objective preparation, use and application of a magnesium fertilizer at high efficiency uptake levels. The method, composition and means for accomplishing this primary objective as well as others will be apparent from the following description.